Major Port Trusts Act,1963
Act No : 38
Section :
Compensation payable in certain cases where use of any private wharf,etc., rendered unlawful.
47. Compensation payable in certain cases where use of any private wharf, etc., rendered unlawful. (1) Where, as a result of an order published under section 38 or section 41, the use of any wharf, dock, berth, quay, stage, jetty or pier, made, fixed or erected by any person is rendered unlawful, the Board may, after hearing the person concerned, by order, close, remove, fill up or destroy such wharf, dock, berth, quay, stage, jetty or pier, or permit the use thereof to such person on payment of such rates and charges as the Board may, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, determine. (2) Save as otherwise provided under sub-section (3) no person shall be entitled to claim compensation for any injury, damage or loss caused or alleged to have been caused by an order made under sub- section (1). (3) If it is proved to the satisfaction of the Board that any such wharf, dock, berth, quay, stage, jetty or pier, was made, fixed or erected by any person with the previous permission of the authority competent to grant such permission, he shall be paid by the Board compensation the amount of which shall be determined in the manner and in accordance with the principles hereinafter set out, that is to say- - (a) in computing the compensation, there shall not be taken into account any rates or other charges which such person shall be liable to pay for using any wharf, dock, berth, quay, stage, jetty or pier provided by the Board; (b) the amount of compensation shall be calculated with reference to the cost of construction of such wharf, dock, berth, quay, stage, jetty or pier; (c) where the amount of compensation can be fixed by agreement, it shall be paid in accordance with such agreement; (d) where no such agreement can be reached, the Central Government shall appoint as arbitrator, a person who is, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Ins. by Act 29 of 1974, s. 20 (w.e.f. 1.2.1975). 665 or has been, or is qualified for appointment as, a Judge of a High Court; (e) the Central Government may, in any particular case, nominate a person possessing special knowledge of any matter relating to any case under inquiry to assist the arbitrator in determining any question which has to be decided by him under this section, and where such nomination is made the person to be compensated may also nominate an assessor for the same purpose; (f) at the commencement of the proceeding before the arbitrator, the Board and the person to be compensated shall state what in their respective opinion is a fair amount of compensation; (g) the arbitrator shall, after hearing the dispute, make an award determining the amount of compensation which appears to him to be just and specify the person or persons to whom such compensation shall be paid; (h) where there is a dispute as to the person or persons who are entitled to the compensation, the arbitrator shall decide such dispute and if the arbitrator finds that more persons than one are entitled to compensation, he shall apportion the amount thereof among such persons; (i) nothing in the Arbitration Act, 1940 (10 of 1940) shall apply to arbitrations under this section; (j) the arbitrator appointed under this section, while holding arbitration proceedings under this Act, shall have all the powers of a Civil Court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908.) in respect of the following matters, namely:-- (i) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; (ii) requiring the discovery and production of documents; (iii) receiving evidence on affidavits; (iv) issuing commissions for examination of witnesses or documents; (k) every award shall also state the amount of costs incurred in the arbitration proceedings under this section and by what persons and in what proportions they are to be paid; 666 (l) any person aggrieved by an award of the arbitrator made under this section may, within thirty days from the date of the award, prefer an appeal to the High Court within whose jurisdiction the port is situated: Provided that the High Court may entertain the appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
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